This invention relates to stake assemblies and devices and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a stake assembly which has no rigid structure extending obstructively above ground and has a limiting or controlling device to restrict expansion of the device during stress thereon.
The use of various types of stakes and tethering devices to restrain animals, tents, boundary wires and lines, and the like, are known. Generally, such devices have included a rigid post which is driven or screwed into the ground, or otherwise attached to the ground, with a rigid end thereof protruding above the ground. The animal or object to be restrained is tethered to the protruding end of the post. The protruding end of the rigid post creates a safety hazard in that it may be stepped on, tripped over, or fallen into, thereby causing injury; and also causes operational problems, particularly when used to restrain an animal, such as a dog, in that the tether connecting the animal to the protruding end, wraps around the protruding end as the animal circumnavigates the post until the freedom of the animal is unnecessarily and perhaps dangerously restrained.
A device to alleviate these problems is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,992,435 filed Oct. 24, 1997 and issued Nov. 30, 1999 to Gary R. Kindell and Sharon D. Kindell.
In the testing and research of this patented invention, it was discovered that the device functioned exceptionally well and solved many of the problems associated with stake assemblies which had above ground rigid structure. However during subsequent research, it was later realized that the stake assembly could be damaged and ruined by excessive tinsile forces.
The inventors of U.S. Pat. No. 5,992,435 therefore researched various apparatus which would limit the force exertable on the above ground coil spring of the invention and thereby detrimentally damage the apparatus.
The present invention is directed to overcome one or more of the heretofore problems, as set forth above.
A stake assembly is provided for placing in the ground so that the stake assembly has no rigid structure extending substantially above the surface of the ground and whose flexibility in a linear direction is controlled.
The stake assembly has a spike which has first and second ends defining a longitudinal axis of the stake assembly.
A flange is connected at the second end of the spike and extends laterally therefrom. The flange has a lower surface facing the first end of the spike for covering the surface of the ground adjacent to the spike and limiting the penetration of the stake assembly into the ground. An upper surface forms the axial extremity of the second end of the spike so that the second end of the spike and the upper surface of the flange are adapted to be substantially flush with the surface of the ground when the spike assembly is placed in the ground.
A receptacle extends axially into the flange in a direction from the second toward the first end of the spike;
A resilient fastening member is provided which has a first end connected to the spike within the receptacle at a location between the lower surface of the flange and the first end of the spike, and a second end extending out of the receptacle beyond the upper surface of the flange. The resilient fastening member is both axially and laterally resilient continuously between the first and second ends of the resilient fastening member so that the stake assembly has no rigid structure extending beyond the upper surface of the flange at any time.
A controlling member is provided which has first and second ends and is laterally flexible, substantially linearly inflexible and which has a length greater than the resilient fastening member in its normal unstressed condition. The first end of the controlling member is connected to the spike within the receptacle. The second end of the controlling member is connected to the second end of the resilient fastening member for limiting the amount of movement of the fastening member second end in a direction from the second end of the spike.